News & Events

Wollaston Students ‘helping to change people’s lives.’

Wollaston Students ‘helping to change people’s lives.’
Sixth Form students at Wollaston School have, once again, demonstrated extraordinary generosity with the activities of their annual RAG WEEK. Every year the students in Sixth Form host a week of events to raise money for their chosen charities. Events this year included Wollaston’s Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing as well as the ritual humiliation of male staff leg waxing!
Over the course of the week, students raised a whopping £3850 shared between 3 different charities.
The Lowdown provides counselling support for young people with a variety of mental health problems, ranging from depression to self-harm. Imti Farookhi, the CEO of the Lowdown commented that ‘with an increasing demand on counselling services for young people this money is really welcome. It will go directly to train counsellors and will help to change people’s lives.’
Cransley Hospice supports terminally ill people as they reach the end of their lives. Students at Wollaston chose this charity due to the support given to families with children at the school currently. Mark Spruce, Community & in Memoriam Development Manager with Cransley Hospice said that he was ‘really impressed with Wollaston School and their fundraising.’ He added that ‘without donations such as this the Hospice would not be able to offer such a high level of service to patients and that the money would directly support the Hospice at Home Nurses scheme.’
AtALoss is a bereavement charity that support young people 18-30 years old who have suffered a bereavement. The charity was especially chosen by Wollaston Sixth Form students in memory of Bryony Freestone, a former student who died in tragic circumstances in the summer of 2016 aged only 19. The money raised will directly fund the ‘GrabLife’ project. This funds weekends away for up to 12 young people who bond over new sports and activities while having a chance to discuss the impact of bereavement on them in a positive and forward looking way. Sophie Freestone, sister of Bryony, has experienced the positive impact that one of these weekend courses can have, revealing that ‘having the chance to spend time with other young people in similar situations helped me to see that I’m not alone.’ She also added that ‘Bryony was so full of life and the GrabLife project seems to epitomise her approach to life. Thanks to Wollaston School and the fantastic students we can now fund a whole weekend to support 12 more young people struggling with the effects of bereavement which is amazing.’
Assistant Headteacher & Head of Sixth Form Damien Keane said that: ‘I’ve always known that our Sixth Form students are special. While grades and exams are important, Sixth Form should be about so much more than this and the work of our students in organising events and fundraising so much money is a testament to their positive outlook on life. All the staff at the school are incredibly proud of their efforts.’
If you would like to make a donation to any of the charities supported by Wollaston School this year, or you would like to find out more then please contact: